2019 Club Semi Finals: Junior Football
Easkey GAA. The Sea Blues. Coast home in Connacht? Certainly not in the cliffhanger final where Ryan McKenna’s late equaliser got them over the line. Just. Clonbur scores 1-8 to reel in an eleven point deficit when Easkey looked to be on the crest of a wave. Managed by club legend and Sligo Stalwart Dessie Sloyan, veteran of memorable Sligo campaigns in the 000s, Easkey went about winning the hard way and looked to be on the rocks. But for a place with two reef breaks, rocks only add to the excitement. We’re talking surfing of course, and Easkey, is one of Ireland’s most popular surfing destinations in Ireland. When waves break over rocks, they are known as reef breaks. Easkey has two reef breaks - one to the left, just by the river mouth and another to the right, east of the castle. Making waves is nothing to these guys. Everybody’s got a feeling, Surfin’ all the way?
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Dundalk Young Irelands made history as the first Louth team to win the Leinster Football Junior title. They beat St Brigids from Offaly 2:10 to 2:07 in Drogheda. The Greens and Blacks official history dates back to 1884, it’s as if Cusack himself had a hand in their foundation. The Young Irelands were the first branch of the GAA in Louth, set up in Dundalk by the Dundalk Young Ireland Society. Club officials estimate they have been in existence 200 years and affiliate to the GAA 135 years this month. Going up against Kerry side Beaufort, they bid to become the first Louth club to reach an All-Ireland final since they themselves reached one in 1887. The were nominated to represent Louth in the first ever All Ireland series in 1887, losing to Limerick Commercials. 132 years of hurt is a long time, and surely the hunger is there too. Everyone’s heard of Greens and Blacks! “We are still Young Irelands, brave Young Irelands, Young Ireland Boys Hurrah”
Beaufort scale the heights of the Munster Junior Football Championship. How’s that for a headline anyone? Level at the end of regular time against Cork’s Dromtarriffe, Brian Doona and Fergal Hallissey kicked the crucial scores in extra time to see the Lios an Phuca men home. Take your points and the goals will come and they did for Nathan Breen and Ciarán Kennedy. Breezing through the quarter final and semi final with winning margins of 34 points against Clare’s Michael Cusacks and 18 against Tipp side Ballylooby Casltegrace, Beaufort clearly know their way to the two white posts. Shout out too to Beaufort’s September sevens comp called Small Mikes All Ireland in memory of club stalwart Mike Tangney, and raising funds for GA Ward and the Cystic Fibrosis Unit in Cork University Hospital, as well as Autism Kerry. Beaufort will be a force to be reckoned with for sure, the question is will they play with the wind.
The prize for Red Hughs for beating Na Cunna in a hard fought Ulster final was an All Ireland quarter final against Dunedin Connollys from Scotland, though thankful for the Killygordon men it was a home tie. Bainisteoir Seosamh Mac Caellabhui described Dunedin as the smartest team they’d faced and they were glad to get back to Killygordon with the win after goals by James Carlin, Shane Gallagher (on as sub despite a wired jaw) and Stephen McMenamin propelled them to victory in Letterkenny. Two points separated the sides, and Red Hughs now face Easkey in a North Western flavoured tie to decide who makes the trip to Croke Park.
O’Neills wishes all the teams well in this weekend’s Club Championships. We are proud to supply the GAA clubs from Sligo to Seoul, Amsterdam to Antrim, check out our online GAA clubshops from Ireland, Asia, USA, Australasia, Europe and more.